Above Consequences
by AimlessAussieAnalysis
Summary: An interpretation on what wiping out the results of a Genocide run means for the characters involved. (One-Shot)


Two spirit's, bound by determination, faced one another across the void of the fallen Underground Kingdom of Monsters. The Fallen Child, rosy cheeked and grinning, greeted the indistinct mass of the Player in a whispering voice, as if they were long lost friends reconnecting for the first time.

"Greetings" they echoed, "I am Chara"

As their androgynous voice broke across the silence of the abyss, it was if an ominous wind began to swirl around the two entities, the kind that sent prickles of anxiety up ones spine, which causes one to second guess their own goals and their own safety.

"Thank you", the unblinking child continued, "Your power awakened me from death. My "Human Soul", my "Determination". They were not mine, but YOURS"

If it were possible, the Fallen Child's smile appeared to grow even wider, as it continued to fixate on the featureless form of the article that it had shared its journey with.

"At first" the Fallen Child drawled, "I was so confused. Our plan had failed hadn't it? Why was I brought back to life?"

They paused, as if for dramatic effect, eyes unmoving from the seemingly motionless form of the player.

"You. With your guidance I realized the purpose of my reincarnation. Power. Together we eradicated the enemy and became strong."

"HP, ATK, DEF, GOLD, EXP, LV. Every time a number increases, that feeling…"

The semi-translucent form of the player appears to stare back at the Fallen Child, the only signs of sapience coming from the flickering colour of its form, sliding between white, black and various shades of grey.

"That's me", continued the Child, with its cheery smile morphing towards the outline of a triumphant smirk. "Chara"

"Now" it stated as if reaching a climax "Now we have reached an absolute. There is nothing left for us here. Let us erase this pointless world, and move on to the next"

The child extended a hand towards the player, a gesture of comradery. The silence hung between the two bodiless specters, the nonexistent world around them on tenterhooks, waiting for the decision. The player, for the first time in the entire one sided conversation, offered a response to the small form of the Fallen Child. A distinct shake of what would be considered a head on a regular humanoid creature.

No.

"No…?" repeated the Fallen Child, amused at the supposed defiance "Hmm... How curious. You must have misunderstood"

The eyes on the Fallen Child's face stretched wide, becoming black, unfeeling pits, and its voice dropped to a demonic growl.

"SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?"

All at once, the false air of reasonability was abandoned. The innocent face of the Child appeared to melt into a horrific grin, rushing towards the formless humanoid entity that had walked the path of Genocide at their side. Shining Real Knife in its hand, the Fallen Child swung a deadly blow…

…and stopped.

A shimmering appendage had extended from the flickering grey form, halting Chara's Death blow, disrupting the chain of events that were already in motion.

And for the first time, the Player spoke.

"ENOUGH"

The force of the refusal sent Chara sprawling away, all momentum they had gained coming to a grinding halt. They raised their head from the absent floor, the hideous black pits that constituted an eyes and mouth replaced with an incredulous expression.

"You refuse?" They spluttered, voice brimming with outrage "You can't refuse, you won't refuse, you've walked my path far too long to turn back now!"

Again they lunged, knife sweeping in a wide, horizontal arc. The players form simply slid away, avoiding the vicious slice. Chara launch themselves up, attempting to land an overhead strike against the flickering spirit. But the player had already vacated the area, almost lazily, and the knife struck nothing but empty space.

"Attack all you like Chara" said the player, whose speech seemed to reverberate with many voices, all speaking as one "After all, it's all you know how to do. But it will do you no good, after all, We are always in control."

Chara scowled at the entity, its eyes recalculating the threat it may present.

"Lies" they snarled "You forsook your control, your claim to Frisk's soul, their Determination, the minute you walk away from your happy ending". A deep intake of breath, and the cruel smirk had returned to their face. "Freedom, peace, friendship….love" they spat at their own feet. "An appealing sentiment of course, but one you willingly walked away from."

One hand was raised and placed on its hip, the other pointing the tip of the blade at the ill-defined figure. "I admit, now you've caught my attention, why did you chose to go back? To forsake the reward of love for the temptation of…LOVE," Chara grinned evilly again.

The Anomaly snorted. "You think the pursuit of LOVE drove us? The wanton slaughter of an entire race of sapient beings, purely for its own sake? Dear Chara if that is what you believe our end goal to be, then you are rather uninformed."

"Enlighten me then" growled Chara, the noise barely escaping through gritted teeth.

The Presence paused for a moment, as if indulging the needs of a demanding toddler, "why, what else but curiosity, tempered with our old friend Determination". The shifting form began to move in a circular pattern around the Fallen Child, pacing a circle with them at the centre. "True, I did find my….near perfect ending, but it simply was not enough. We knew there were still paths left to tread, still mysteries to unravel. So We reset. We found the beginning again and found another path, as you so succinctly put it, _your_ path."

Chara remained transfixed on the circling, misshapen figure, eyes narrowed, knife still raised. "And what supposed mysteries did you uncover, what could you possibly uncover that you didn't in your first timeline?"

If the amorphous mass had any facial features, they would no doubt have raised an eyebrow. "To test ourself against the monsters greatest champions? To force the monsters to action? To see the true depth of their character? Chara, for a child, you are certainly lacking in imagination…"

"Oh cut the crap!" Chara cut in furiously, "To see the true depth of their character? How blind can you be to your own hubris? Justify it all you want but you didn't need to slaughter them all to find the answers to your so called questions. You already understood the monsters after you guided Frisk to save them. Admit it" they said, smirk re-attaching itself to their face. "You didn't need to come this far, but you did. You wanted to kill them" they said, arms outstretched "and this is _curiosities_ reward."

The Anomaly paused in its pacing, and for a long time just seemed to stare at Chara, an opaque mass peering into a victorious grin. At last, it chuckled, the laugh reverberating mirthlessly in the surrounding blackness.

"I can't hid anything from you can I can I Chara?" they said, gliding slowly closer to the striped shirted child "No, I earned far less from this route than I had hoped. Papyrus was kind, never giving up hope even when faced with certain death. Undyne was brave, coming back from death itself in an attempt to save not only monsters, but all life. Alphys, well she discovered she had more Integrity than she thought possible. And sans, as always, the eternal spirit of justice."

They paused inches from the Fallen Child, who had not moved a millimetre, still leering at the transparent entity.

"It's a shame," they said, turning what might be their back on Chara "that Asriel, or rather Flowey, didn't elaborate on their existence earlier in our peaceful trip through the Underground, otherwise this entire Genocide might have been pointless. But no matter. It's done now. Time to move on."

"M-Move on?" Chara stutter, incredulous, "What do you mean move on? How can you possibly move on?" they glanced from side to side "We destroyed everything, there is nothing to move on to!"

The entity chuckled, this time with humour in their tone. "Chara, you still seem to be under the impression that you are in control of the save file. Go on, try and strike me down, crash my game, boot me to the desktop. Go on, try."

A few moments passed, and neither spirits made a single move.

"I-I…I can't do any…anything…" whispered the Fallen Child, fear creeping into their tone for the first time. "How… what … what is happening?"

"What is happening is you lose Chara," replied the Writer, contempt dripping from their tone "you were never in control of this game we play. I've gained all I need from this timeline, so now I intend to wipe it clean, start anew, and give Frisk back the ending they deserved"

"FRISK?" Chara thunder, anger and fear spraying from their mouth, "You mean the child whose existence you usurped, who you forced to slaughter their friends, butcher like animals, just to sate you curiosity?"

"That's the one" the Anomaly replied cheerfully "And don't get all high and mighty on morality with me Chara, remember you were the one who so enjoyed our time together, forced Frisk's hand when they fought for control, who murdered their best friend as they begged for their life. Rather hypocritical if you ask me".

The player began to walk away into the abyss, as the blackness beneath Chara's feet crept upwards.

"Who are you," the Fallen Child cried out, as they and their achievements where slowly wiped from existence "who are you to think that you are above consequence?"

 _Access C:\Users\AimlessAussieAnalysis\AppData\Local\UNDERTALE_

The Player let out a bark of laughter, as they began their long journey back to the start of the timeline.

 _Select Files:_

 _file0_

 _file8_

 _file9_

 _system_information_962_

"Oh my sweet child, I don't think I am above consequence."

 _Are you sure you want to permanently delete these 4 items?_

"I **know** I am"

 _Items have been successfully deleted from your computer._


End file.
